Wines that speak of a place: That’s terroir

Trained palate can detect those locales

There is plenty of debate on whether wines can express terroir. I guess I should start out explaining what terroir means. It is the French term that encapsulates the following: geography, geology and climate of a certain place. It can be loosely translated as a sense of place.

I have just taken the Mater Sommelier exam, in which a portion of the test focuses on blind tasting, and I can assure you that wines do speak of a place. Sometimes they scream of a place!

For example, Chablis is a region of Burgundy in France that makes unmistakable wines. The wines are made from chardonnay; winemakers use varying oak regimes, but the wines have distinct markers of both chardonnay and the chalky minerality that comes from the Kimmeridge clay, a sedimentary deposit of fossiliferous marine clay that the vines are planted on.

A great example of Chablis is Domaine William Fevre Premier Cru Vaulorent from a single vineyard in Fourchaume. It has the characteristic flavors that you expect from the region: the intense chalky minerality, the tart green apple skins and the lifted apple blossom. This wine can be found at San Diego Wine Company for approximately $35.

Riesling from the Mosel region of Germany is a wine that also speaks clearly of the place where it is grown. The region is located along the Mosel river. In order to ripen the grapes, they have planted vineyards right along the river, to allow the reflection off the river to help with maximizing the sunlight hours and heat. The slopes of the river bank are at a 90-degree angle and are covered in a specific soil called blue slate.

The overall average temperature in the area is cool, with summer months hovering around 65 degrees. The cool temperature and the slate soil give the wine a lovely slatey minerality and a low alcohol level. The bright stone fruit is perfectly balanced with the honeysuckle notes and a finish that goes on for miles.

Dr. Loosen’s, Dr. L 2011 is a wonderful example of a Mosel Riesling, and it is available at San Diego Wine Company for under $10.

I have chosen to show you two white wines, and I will bring you two reds next time.

Skoal!

Megan Yelenosky is the wine program director for the Hilton San Diego Bayfront.